This mode of argument involves the practice of overemphasizing authority or ethos rather than focusing on the merits of the evidence itself.

the visual metaphor of the straw man effectively represents this fallacy; the writer sets up a fake or distorted representation of a counterargument so as to have something to easily argue against and to present the writers own position in a more favorable light.

involves the oversimplification of a complicated issue.

The writer contends to be an authority-or holds another up to be an authority-based on an overinflated or fallacious suggestion of expertise.

some arguments employ unrelated information in order to distract the audience's attention from the issue at hand.

draw conclusions too quickly without providing enough supporting evidence or considering all the nuances of the issue.

this strategy attempts to persuade by reducing the credibility of opposing positions through attack's on a person's character.

this form of circular logic uses an argument as evidence for itself, thereby evading the issue at hand.

in this fallacy, the author amplifies a perceived need or creates a completely new one.

claims that two things resemble each other when they actually do not.

an argument that presents only one side of an issue.

sometimes called the ad populum argument, this emotional fallacy hinges on the premise that since everyone else is doing something, you should too.

argument that fell prey to this fallacy use ambiguous terminology that misleads the audience or confuses the issue.